After suffering their biggest defeat in Mar Roxas’s loss in the 2016 elections and the ascent of President Rodrigo Duterte to the presidency comes another blow to anti-Marcos activists. The burial of former President Ferdinand E Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Burial Grounds) looms imminent. Despite this burial of a once-hated historical figure long coming, many activists are acting like they’ve been taken by utter surprise. Seeing the way they now kick up a monumental tantrum over this, one would think that this is an “outrage” sprung upon them out of nowhere.
For one thing, the burial of Marcos at the Libingan was a campaign promise of Duterte from the very beginning. It is reasonable to presume that this promise along with others he made during his campaign are bundled into the mandate given him by Filipino voters in this year’s elections. Interestingly, however, some of Duterte’s voters and supporters are opposed to Marcos’s burial at the Libingan. Notable among Duterte’s supporters is former Secretary Rafael Alunan III who, in a 13th August Facebook post, appealed to Duterte to reconsider.
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[…] we are protective of PRRD’s presidency; and any issue we see that could undermine his effectiveness and erode his political capital too early in the game compels us to speak out and point the way for his consideration and appropriate action.
The issue is not whether FM deserves to be buried there being a past president and soldier, but whether he meets the qualifications of a “bayani” out of respect for those who lived up to the standards of heroism till the end. His ouster as President and commander-in-chief speaks for itself, and the exception to the rule that disqualifies a candidate should apply here.
Indeed, the name of the cemetery that is at the centre of this circus does contain the word “bayani”, Tagalog for “hero”. However, columnist Federico Pascual pointed out in a 24th April 2011 article published on the Philippine Star that this little fact may have caused unnecessary misconceptions about this revered burial ground. He quotes retired Brig. Gen. Rosalino A. Alquiza who, in an email to Pascual, cites AFP Regulations G 161-373, subject: ‘Allocation of Cemetery Plots at the LNMB,’ issued on 9 April 1986 by GHQ AFP under then AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Fidel V. Ramos and then President Corazon C. Aquino. In the email, Alquiza clarifies the matter:
The LNMB is a military cemetery (just like the Arlington Cemetery in the United States) intended primarily for military personnel and veterans. One does not have to be a hero to qualify to be buried there. Conversely, one acclaimed by some as a ‘hero’ is not entitled to be interred at the LNMB if he does not belong to any of the qualified categories.
What are these “qualified categories”? The AFP regulation is clear on what they are and includes this:
10. Former Presidents, Secretaries of National Defense, widows of former Presidents, Secretaries of National Defense and Chiefs of Staff.
Alquiza, in his email, further points out…
Marcos was neither dishonorably discharged nor convicted with finality of an offense involving moral turpitude. While he was charged with several offenses, he was never convicted. Thus, he died an innocent man.
Observers are beginning to note how the issue of Marcos’s burial at the LNMB has become one that is far out of proportion in the context of more pressing challenges being faced by the country and the administration of President Duterte. Indeed, it seems that it all really just boils down the notion of laying a dead man who was once President of the Philippines to rest and for Filipinos, as a people, to be the bigger persons in this “debate”. After all, the prevailing dogma being invoked by anti-Marcos activists and their shrill movement to block this burial revolves around just one side of history. This, however, is a side told by erstwhile political victors who have (along with their vintage 1986 people power narrative) now all but been discredited. As such, there is merit in considering the possibility that the side of the story that viciously demonises former President Marcos as well as his entire family was wrong or misconstrued for 30 years.
Fr. Ranhilio Aquino in his article Marcos should be buried at the Libingan published on the Manila Standard highlights this very notion as an important reason to reflect.
I do not want one version of history to be absolutized and enshrined as historical dogma. This is the version of those who oppose Marcos, because there is another version of the story (one which I favor) that maintains that he acted in his best lights, as the law and the system at that time allowed, and committed the sins and faults to which all of us must in one way or the other plead guilty!
My real question is this: What exactly is the opposition to his burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani? By what logic? By what philosophical principle? By what ethical norm? By what legal precept? By what equitable standard?
In short, we should not be taking positions on matters such as these on the basis of who makes the loudest and most emotional appeals. Underneath the noise is a reference point begging to be found that must serve as a foundation for a more level-headed, more intelligent, and, ultimately, more sensible discourse. It’s time Filipinos step up to that standard.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
The moral turpitude of the so-called anti-Marcos of yesteryear and today appears to center in their failure to concentrate on any particular objective long enough to obtain their maximum results.
Would someone please tell me why a former Marcos supporter-turned-opposition (Fidel Ramos), a key-member of the EDSA Revolution that helped install the Yellow Party that lasted 30 years, a former president who enriched himself and his family during his term in office, had been assigned to become the next envoy to China? Will someone please write an article about this latest snafu?
how old are you now Aeta? before Marcos left malacanang there’s a line up of tanks with machineguns facing the fence of the palace along Aviles street just waiting for hypnotized rallyist, a communist led, to force enter malacanang grounds. FVR and Enrile turned opposition to save those lives. now who orders FVR to sell Fort Bonifacio? a better story to tell right.
One question I might pose to Ramos now is, why did he and Cory decide to have former presidents buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani? Were they expecting to be buried there themselves but thought Marcos was easy to keep out?
ChinoF,
The answer is simple. The Aquino and Ramos were in cahoots before and after they got rid of the Marcoses, and one of the founding members of the Yellow Party. Duterte made a mistake when he appointed Ramos as envoy to China. He is slowly putting termites (political termites) in his cabinet to bring down his house.
Aeta
a yellow tard.
I was 20 years old and was there when the brainwashed People Power faced the line of tanks, machine guns, and armed troops in front of Malacanang. There is no way in hell will FVR and Enrile, along with thousands of unarmed civilians and handful of RAM troops, risk their lives if they know for sure that they will get shot and killed by soldiers and marines of the government.
Whatever FVR and Enrile did as an act of bravery, a call for truce or mercy, or whatever the bleeding heart media want to call is all for show–“Luto na ang lahat ng mangyayari” (the outcome of that drama has already been pre-determined early on)–to show that the key figures of the People’s Power are brave and the true heroes of the EDSA Revolution.
We’re talking about Philippine drama here, where Patraydor (execute style) killing, not a direct confrontation (a fair firefight) from both side, is the common tactic.
Enrile and FVR knew what was in store once they get rid of Marcos. They’ll eventually be the ones in power to fleece the country and its people. Just look at the last 30 years of the country’s history if it’s not true what I said about Enrile and FVR.
Aeta
It’s a fact, Ramos and Enrile were TRAITORS!
in short they (FVR and enrile) probably knew fm’s limit, who would hesitate to give the order to open fire on unarmed civilians.
Sa katotohanan ay higit na malaki ang mga nagawa ni Marcos kaysa ng mga Aquino sa kabutihan ng ating bansa at mamamayan.
How do you define a “Bayani”? This is a U.S. $64 million question.
By the Aquinos and the YellowTards definition. A “Bayani” is a Filipino, who fought for his country, and is blameless in his service to his country. He must be a “saint”, like their false idol: Cory Aquino !
If these Marcos Sr. detractors, would look at themselves. Could they measure up to the “standards” of a Filipino “bayani”, that they set up for themselves?
I doubt, if they can…
Going back to the Jesus Christ story, in the Christian New Testament Bible. When the Jewish religious crowd, brought an adulterous woman, to Jesus Christ. They claimed the woman had committed adultery, and was to be stoned to death; according to the Law of Moses!
Jesus Christ, simply picked up a stone. Told the crowd, who were eager to stone the woman… Jesus stated plainly: “Whoever of you have no sin, will cast the first stone”.
The Jewish crowd simply melted away; beginning from the eldest to the youngest…
These Marcos Sr. detractors, who are now against the burial of a real World War II hero, are like those of the Jewish crowds, who want to throw stone at Marcos Sr., because he (Marcos, Sr.), to their knowledge does not measure up to their standards, they had set up for themselves as a hero.
How about, if they look at their inner self first, if they are on Marcos Sr. , shoes. Would they qualify as a hero? By their own set standards, they set up among themselves?
Idiots ! Dimwits ! Aquinos’ dogs ! Drug Lords !
The Aquinos were installed as poisoned chalice. Many have awoken now because of a comparison between the Marcos and Aquino regimes. And It’s not ( and should not be) about a battle of 2 clans that people choose to side on. It’s about the will they represent which is manifested by the results they’ve produced. Needless to say, the Aquinos have failed us terribly.
Amen
As I can see evidently, Marcos is like an opium to anyone, everybody is so addicted every time his name mentioned, every one has it’s own opinion, either good or bad and he (Marcos) is the most exploited Filipino politician.
Ciriaco,
Everybody needs a likely scapegoat. Marcos is dead and can’t speak to defend himself.
Aeta
@Ciriaco:
Marcos has been dead for more than 30 years. He is irrelevant already.
Meanwhile, we have serious problems that need attentions. Shabu proliferation; Drug Lords; Chinese Triad Mafia; Political corruption to the highest level of the past Aquino administration. We became a NARCO Politics country !
These are the REAL Problems facing us; not the burial of Marcos’ Sr.; or the debate whether he is a hero or not !
“as president i swore an oath to the law and not to the sentiments of the political side.” – PDU30
bout time a leader who knows ass whippin’. decisive, intellectual.
to the Idiot Aquino Followers, BURN!
to the victims of martial law, find the soldiers who committed the abuse. dont blame marcos sr. martial law doesnt kill and abuse citizens.
Only in the Philipines ! A burial become an issue. It shows how Filipino brain function…mga isip talangka !
It is all political theatrics it all depends who is in power. We all can’t move forward unless we get pass who was the worst and who plundered more. Aquino legacy is worst than Marcos. Does it matter? Can we just all get along. The only loser in this game is us. While we are busy butting heads, politicians are singing their way to the bank.
Camara,
As I had said in another post, the problem with us Filipinos is we all want to be the star of our own show all the time. We won’t let other Filipinos have their own show and be a star in ours.
This is why Philippine movies, and its stars, will never make it to Hollywood or the international arena. The dramas of our lives–on and off screens–will always be on the “Pambakya” (no class) category.
Aeta
IMO Marcos should NOT be given a HEROE’s funeral, PERIOD. it is not based of HATE. NO IT IS NOT. Marcos played a part in bankrupting the country to the tune of hundreds of BILLIONS of USDollars, while his fellow countryment walloed in squalor.There is nothing heroic about that, if fact he was a criminal in regards to a lot of the CA$H in-so-far as HE STOLE much of it (THINK WESTINGHOUSE)….and then he hid the $$$ outside the country so no one could take it back.Nothing heroic about that either. Marcos had a part in the touture of thousands of people.Marcos had a part in the illegal imprisonmaent of thousands of people. Marcos played a part in the murder of many of his perceived enemies. THESE ACTIONS are not the actions of a HERO eother.
Ferdinand Marcos ended up being a PSYCHOTIC THIEVING CRIMINAL and to glorify that is ludicrous. Marcos was a thief, he and his whole entire thieving family should be in fuckin jail….and right along side of them should be the Aquino’s,Binay’s,Estrada’s,Enrile’s, and all the rest of the biggest criminal syndicate in S E Asia….
That is really about it, but one way or another the Philippines should get on with what they are going to do ro not do.I say throw the scumbag out with last weeks garbage and move on.
If he stole, how come he never got convicted for his alleged crimes?
How come all of the cases against them, got dismissed due to lack of evidence?
Honestly, Filipinos are absolutely hilarious. Comments like this make me realise why they queue up in their thousands outside scam businesses (oh, sorry, “savings” and “investment” schemes) set up to relieve them of their money.
FWIW, the Marcos estate has been ordered by various courts to return millions of stolen US$. Some of it has actually been returned – although, obviously, it was immediately stolen again by the current incumbents. You already know this, I’m sure. But hey, this is the Philippines: repeat something often enough, and deny, deny, deny … hey presto, falsehoods become truth!
Which reminds me, the PCGG claimed that they recovered half of the 10 billion US dollars of ill-gotten wealth yet they couldn’t even pay a single Martial law victim? That means the PCGG are another band of thieving scumbags, posing as ‘heroes’.
“How come he never got convicted”, WTF? In a country where the fucking guy and his family own everything,you have the lack f intelligence to ask that idiotic question?
900+ heresay made-up cases got junked due to no evidence locally and internationally combined….
Fact is he was a “SOLDIER” and a “PRESIDENT”….
Keep your Yellow minded foolishness to yourself…
Sure, blame Marcos for having the foresight to build a Nuclear Power plant to bring down the cost of electricity and secure independence from coal and oil.
God, some people are just so uninformed….
Um what? You want Filipinos in charge of a nuclear power plant?
These are people who build road vehicles out of rebar.
“Hey Bong, what shall we do with this spent nuclear fuel rod?”
“Let’s chuck it in that river over there hihihi”
“Good idea”
(splash)
“Hey Bong, you don’t think there will be like some radioactivity or something in it, do ya?”
“Eh di wow! Top science student at school were you?”
This is the problem of how the non-makabayan/Filipino/Tsekwa “Yellows” brainwashed people to think that Philippines is incapable of handling it and used it as “Propaganda” saying it’s not safe.
Pres. F Marcos fully supported Filipino Scientists, Engineers, Doctors, etc. Science & Technology Professionals during his term thats why there was little OFW’s and he never promoted Filipino’s going out of the country just to work as slaves or even have their intelligence be used by foreign countries.
That’s why Philippines was able to develop “Magic Rice”(Filipino Scientists), “Philippine Rocket”(Filipino Engineers), “Geo Thermal Plant”(Filipino Engineers & Workers), Tough High Rise Buildings(Filipino Engineers & Workers), Tough Roads, etc. that weren’t corrupt or were tought to build infrastructures that could last decades(not substandard) till now because they love the Philippines and wanted it to prosper in the future.
Filipino’s were tought to raise their heads and love their country.
But when “Yellow Cults” came to power, well brainwashing here and there. News papers / Television shows/ads kept playing “Yellows” as heroes and demonizing Pres. F Marcos. Promoted discrimination on Filipino’s and pushed them to become OFW’s due to poverty and high rise of prices, crime, drugs, etc.
They are purposely keeping the Philippines a shithole while they are enriching themselves from it’s riches, these Oligarchs Yellows.
We are definitely capable of handling BNPP, it’s just the “Yellow Cults” and their Oligarch constituents don’t want the Philippines to benefit from it’s fruits which is cheaper electricity and less reliance on Oils. Meralco is one of those Oligarchs.
4D: you’re correct that anti-intellectualism was much less common during the early Marcos years, and also that Filipino scientists, technologists, etc were respected and supported.
However, most of the technology that was appearing in the country was being bought from the US, with US$ loans. Americans were running the show. Certainly they were training the locals, and things might have been different if that had continued.
What happened next is a bit of a mystery. Possibly Marcos got too big for his boots. Possibly others in the administration thought it was their turn to pull the puppet-strings. Either way, the Americans left (or were kicked out, depending on your views) and the country started to fall to pieces. Why? Because even then, there simply weren’t that many educated, intelligent Filipinos who could pick up what the Americans started.
What we’re left with, now, today, is a country where most Filipinos are, frankly, slightly retarded. Virtually nobody has a proper education. I have yet to meet a Filipino mechanic who actually knows how an internal combustion engine works. I see Filipinos wrecking the environment in whatever way they can: polluting the air and water, spraying poisons everywhere, cutting down forests. In that environment, it’s really, really lucky the country has no functioning nuclear reactors.
As for cheap power:
1) What exactly does the Philippines need power for? 80% of Filipinos live in the middle of nowhere doing nothing. Or occasionally growing rice. How is a nuclear power station going to help them?
2) Most countries still get 80% of their electricity from fossil fuels, not nuclear. It’s still a lot cheaper than in the Philippines. Why? Easy answer: Filipinos.
Even “civilized” countries aren’t capable of handling nuclear power properly. What makes you think it would make the Philippines a better place?
@ JDiG,NO, Dim-wit, blame Marcos for building it on a major fault line…that is why it was never commissioned.Plus the fact that Marcos was conducting ma$$ive co$t overruns and Westinghouse…..oh forget arguing with a moron.
ah, yeah, that too 🙂
I’m guessing that was deliberate. Most of these high-tech development projects in third-world countries are designed to fail. Everyone gets their cut of the spoils, and the white elephant eventually rots into the ground.
Also … don’t forget, a lot of the assembly was done by Filipinos. Apparently it was so riddled with faults it would have probably imploded if they’d tried to fire it up.
Can you do a computation of that “hundreds of billions of US dollars” at the time? do a conversion and all… then reply here what you got.
How much is the PH nationa ldebt as of date?
DOES IT MAKE SENSE?
Ehem…
How can we move on if you don’t stop being a ‘crybaby crying over petty things? You love to overrate those billions of US dollars that he ‘stole’ yet you are turning a blind eye about what the people after him did, which is much worse?
Congratulations, you just went FULL RETARD with what you wrote.
Blame the “YELLOW MEDIA” poisoning Filipinos with their “YELLOW BIASED REPORTS”….
Eitherway most of them “YELLOW CULTS” are from brainwashed Central Luzon personalities who just dragged Visayas and Mindanao to their shithole….
I say let the dead have its final resting place. Marcos fits the definition of a hero as he fought in the WWII. None of the former prez in RP ever fought in a war other that aguinaldo.
It would not take long for anyone to figure out, just connect the dots and do the math. Marcos was ousted by FVR and Enrile. People’s Power installed Aquino up to Duterte who appointed FVR as envoy to China believe me it would not take long for another People’s Power and we are back to square one again.
Camara,
I’m glad to know you agree that Fidel V. Ramos is Yellow through-and-through. Let’s hope the Duterte administration sees that.
Aeta
a family who is determined to upheave another one is the real reason behind here, they are struggling to topple one over the other. the truth is the Marcos is the frontrunner and he has done well were it not for the disturbance caused by the aquino, this competition runs through their descendants too..but there are actually masterminds here, wherein the 2nd generations are tasked to continue the struggle..the truth is it is the citizenry that are affected of their struggles..this should be stop…it is only the citizenry who can stop it by putting a deaf ear and a blind eye over these two struggles or war of supremacy.. the best way is for us to mind our own business, to take care of our own bread and butter and foremost our own family…if they want, these two parties should fight it out in court and they should not affect the citizenry’s peace and life…in short pls wag na sila magdamay pa ng ibang tao, dapat sila sila na lang yan…
Nelson Uy,
“If they want, these two parties should fight it out in court and they should not affect the citizenry’s peace and life…in short pls wag na sila magdamay pa ng ibang tao, dapat sila sila na lang yan…”
The fact is these “two parties” have been fighting it out for generations, not in court, but in the midst of our lives; and the citizens are affected because they have been “putting a deaf ear and a blind eye over these two struggles or war of supremacy” for just as long.
The question is, “when do we put an end to all the bullshits?”
Aeta
people get over it
nang dahil sa kayamanang nakalaan para sa MGA PILIPINO..na pilit na inaangkin ng mga may lahing INTSIK..sinawsawan ng mga ganid at sakim sa kapangyarihan at kayamanan na mga PULITIKO..iyan ang puno’t dulo ng lahat..INGGIT at PAGHAHANGAD sa KAYAMANAN at KAPANGYARIHAN..kaya’t sa kahit na sa anong paraan ay gagawin ang lahat ng dahilan matutulan lamang anumang gawaing makakabuti sa itinuturing na kalaban..nagsimula pa 30 taon mula nuon hanggang sa ngayon tayong mga PILIPINO AY NAWALA SA MAAYOS AT MATAHIMIK NA NASYON..KAYA’T ANG PILIPINAS AY HIRAP SA PAG-AHON MAGPASA HANGGANG NGAYON..NG DAHIL SA ‘INGGIT at PAGHAHANGAD’..KAILAN PA KAYA TAYO GIGISING AT MAMUMULAT PARA SA ATING PAGBANGON…
don’t forget uncle sam , they wrote the script, the director and the budget for the teleserye of EDSA
You are right, DIO and benign0, you are being a true Pro-Marcos loyalist like Herminio Disini.
Albert Anastasia will be happy.
Jim DiGriz, I agree,
Ferdinand Marcos is truly the most decorated war hero with 32 medals that are not fake! Even if USA did not recogize them.
You are right, PropagandaBoy.